Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao: Fight Preview and PPV Details
The fight of the century is finally here! The most anticipated boxing match in a generation will pit the undefeated American fighter, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (47-0, 26 KOs), against the more popular, fearless Filipino boxer, Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs).
The upcoming welterweight showdown between two of this generation's most talented fighters is expected to shatter previous box office records with tickets selling at staggeringly high prices.
The so-called #MayPac bout is slated to begin this Saturday, May 2, at around 11 p.m. EDT, live from the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight is available to watch on HBO and Showtime PPV, as well as online through live stream (details below).
For those hankering for information on how to watch the historic match, here's a summary:
Tickets
Venue tickets for the fight are already sold out. However, those with more than a bit of pocket change to spare could still try their luck as there are still plenty of available tickets posted up by a number of resale sites. MarketWatch reported that as of Thursday, tickets sold at the StubHub are already priced at around $200,000 while a few rows back can cost more than a hundred thousand dollars.
Pay-Per-View
For people who opt to witness the showdown from the comfort of their own homes, the pay-per-view telecast, which is co-produced and co-distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and SHOWTIME PPV, will commence at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT. Costs are reported to begin at $100 for high-definition quality and $90 for the standard one.
Online Streaming
Unfortunately for those who wish to see the fight online (with no charges whatsoever), reports (via MarketWatch) indicated that a number of unauthorized online streaming services were being brought down by the HBO and Showtime.
Officials from both networks have filed a lawsuit against websites like "John Doe 1 d/b/a boxing HD.net," "John Doe 2 d/b/a Sportship.org," to name a few of seven others. Citing The Hollywood Reporter, it was suggested that HBO and Showtime are doing their best to knock out these online streaming sites.
To see the fight online through Showtime PPV live stream please click here.
Local Establishments
Other options to see the fight could be to visit a local sports bar, restaurant, and other local establishments that are offering live coverage of the fight. Sports fans can call up ahead to verify costs and availability.
Free Viewing
For the rest of the world, the chance to see the Mayweather vs Pacquiao bout is being offered for free. Among the countries offering such services via their respective national TV broadcasting channels include Mexico, Thailand, China, France, Philippines, and Colombia. Slight delays brought by commercial breaks are to be expected, however.